Accessibility in the News – January 4, 2019

Accessibility in the News — 1/4/19.

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AITN Quote of the Week

National News (U.S.)

When Empathy Isn’t Enough

In 2015, I was diagnosed with a chronic illness that I thought I would heal from within a few months. Years passed and I did not heal. At points, I was unable to walk and needed a cane, yet I refused to consider myself disabled. I was embarrassed by the thought of it. However today, nearly four years later, I am proud to identify with such an amazing community. Being a disabled designer has given me given unique skills to see the built world in a different way, because it has not been designed for disabled people…

This Entrepreneur Built a Startup to Help Travelers with Disabilities Find Accommodations. Then He Sold It to Airbnb.

The next time you complain about a hotel room not having strong enough Wi-Fi or a soft enough bed, imagine you use a wheelchair and arrive at a place that was advertised as accessible, and there is a flight of stairs to the front door. Srin Madipalli led one of the most interesting acquisitions of the last year. His company, Accomable, sold to Airbnb for an (undisclosed) amount in November 2017, with full integration of the companies happening as we speak. Accomable was an accessible travel startup that helped disabled people find and book adapted holiday accommodation worldwide online…

Adams Pushes Program To help Youths With Physical Disabilities

Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams joined dozens of students with disabilities at Edward R. Murrow High School in Midwood this week, one of the city’s most accessible school buildings, to launch “Barrier-Free BK.” The new initiative aims to improve accessibility for youth with physical limitations. According to the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD), there are 342,000 young people in New York City who are living with disabilities, and about 10 percent of the nearly one million New Yorkers of all ages who have self-identified as living with disabilities are estimated to use wheelchairs…

Despite shutdown woes, President Donald Trump did sign some legislation Thursday. The 21st-Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (IDEA) aims to make federal “.gov” websites more mobile-friendly and more secure. “The 21st Century IDEA will modernize the technology of government agencies,” Rep. Khanna (D-CA) said following the signing ceremony. “It’s time our government agencies adopt the innovative technologies of the 21st Century.”…

In Natural Disasters, A Disability Can Be A Death Sentence

Several of the 88 people killed in the Camp fire that devastated Butte County, California, in November had disabilities. Their deaths were only the latest example of a tragic reality: When disaster strikes, people with disabilities are disproportionately affected. There are no statistics that show how many disabled people in the U.S. say they could easily evacuate in an emergency, but around the world, just 20 percent of disabled people say they would be able to do so. And only 31 percent said they would have someone to help them in an emergency, according to a 2013 United Nations global survey…

Seeing in the Dark: Debunking digital inclusion

As a blind man, I often get asked by strangers, “Do blind people enjoy videos?” And my answer is always, “Hell yes!” Whether it’s listening to stand up on YouTube, or binging on my latest guilty pleasure on Netflix, TV shows and movies are a big part of my life. Of course, before I can even enjoy a show, the digital platform needs to be accessible to my software, and videos need to offer descriptive audio for the blind — a feature that narrates the non-spoken parts of a video. Then, and only then, can I enjoy TV shows and films…

3 Tips to Configure State Services for Accessibility Compliance

As government agencies begin to embrace digital transformation, they should mind the diversity of their constituencies and work to design services that are accessible to all. The government accessibility movement began with the Section 508 amendment to the federal Rehabilitation Act. While this regulation is not binding for state and local agencies, many states support accessibility laws that impose similar requirements. This leaves technology teams seeking ways to achieve compliance that enables constituent interaction while reducing the burden on technologists…

Hiring People With Disabilities Is Good Business

For years, companies have maintained low expectations about hiring people with disabilities. Most of these companies believed that employees with disabilities could not perform well in the workplace and that actively hiring them would drag company performance and profits down. Thankfully, over time, many employers have come to understand that these perceptions are untrue. And new research strongly suggests that the opposite — that hiring people with disabilities is good for business…

Some tips for Etailers to make websites inclusive for disabled people

Today, shopping is easy. Thanks to online shopping websites. Unlike earlier days, you do not have to queue up in long lines or wait at cash counters for your turn. Everything is available at your fingertip. So whether you want to do some grocery shopping or buy a new dress, just go to your favorite website and click on what your liked. You can pay your bills, book movie tickets and even buy a car online. Unfortunately, such online shopping is made easier only for people without disabilities…

The Rolling Stones have no sympathy for the disabled, fan alleges

He can’t get no satisfaction from the Rolling Stones. A retired administrative law judge is accusing the “Sympathy for the Devil” supergroup’s promoter of having little sympathy for the disabled because prices on handicapped seats are five times more than other tickets at the band’s June 2019 shows at MetLife Stadium. Michael Boyajian, 60, sent a claim against promoter Concerts West/AEG to the state Division of Human Rights after learning accessible seats for the rickety rockers’ June 2019 gigs at MetLife Stadium cost five times more than other seats — $1,075 compared with about $200…

Compass slapped with lawsuit over website access for the blind

Compass is being sued for allegedly failing to make its website fully accessible to blind people, raising the specter that real estate brokerages remain exposed to a legal risk about which the National Association of Realtors had previously warned members. The suit, which is seeking class-action status and was filed on Dec. 12 in a New York district court, accuses Compass of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for “its failure to design, construct, maintain, and operate its website to be fully accessible to and independently usable by Plaintiff and other blind or visually-impaired people.”…

In response to the onslaught of website accessibility lawsuits against public accommodations covered by Title III of the ADA, some website accessibility consulting companies have been promoting solutions that involve the use of an alternative version of a business’ primary website that conforms to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 AA (WCAG 2.0 AA). The alternative version is typically accessed through a link on the website and, unlike the bare bones “text-only” websites of the past, looks very much like the non-accessible website…

UF professor’s invention makes voting more accessible

University of Florida professor Juan Gilbert has developed technology to make voting more accessible. The question remains whether Gilbert’s invention, Prime III, will become more widely used at polling locations throughout the country. But the software interface already has been used in New Hampshire for the 2016 presidential election and in Ohio in the 2018 midterm elections with no reported hiccups. Before coming to UF in 2014, Gilbert first developed Prime III at Auburn in 2003 as a secure, electronic system accessible for voters with physical disabilities…

Wheelchair accessibility seen as an issue throughout Wisconsin

People who are able-bodied do many things without second thought, like step into a restaurant, go to the bathroom, or get into a car. But for people who are disabled, it’s a bit more of a challenge. A light switch may be out of reach, a door may be too heavy, or a ramp may be too steep. When the snow and ice kick in during winter, things become a little more difficult. Karalyn Peterson, a Midstate Independent Living Center resource coordinator, has experienced this trouble for the past two decades…

Mother threatens to call her lawyer after she is told she can’t pet service dogs in training

A woman went viral on Facebook after she was captured complaining to service dog trainers about not being allowed to pet the animals, despite multiple signs on the dog’s vest asking that the dog not be touched. She has since become known as “Service Dog Sally.” Meg Stoff, who originally shared the video, wrote that she had a “crazy experience” at a Pittsburgh mall on Dec. 19, where she was helping train dogs to become accustomed to public areas…

California Court Grants Nonsuit in Website Accessibility Trial

A California court has dismissed a website accessibility case shortly after commencing trial, issuing a sua sponte nonsuit on grounds that the defendant credit union’s website is not subject to the ADA. Martinez v. San Diego Credit Union, San Diego Superior Court Case No. 37-2017-00024673, would have been the only known website accessibility lawsuit to go to trial in the state of California. Instead, after commencing trial, the Court ordered the parties to submit trial briefs, inquired whether the parties would object to the Court issuing a sua sponte ruling at the outset of the case, and then granted the nonsuit…

CUs see victory with dismissal of appellate level ADA suit

Credit unions fight lawsuit related to ADA requirements

CUNA and credit unions saw a major win Thursday when the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of DOL FCU, a credit union hit with a frivolous lawsuit claiming violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). CUNA filed a brief in support of DOL FCU. “The court’s decision is a major step forward in our defense of credit unions facing predatory lawsuits exploiting a law designed to protect disabled Americans,” said CUNA President/CEO Jim Nussle…

Beyonce’s Parkwood Entertainment Sued Over Website Accessibility

A blind woman claims she can’t use Beyonce.com without the help of a sighted companion. Beyonce Knowles’ company Parkwood Entertainment has been hit with a class action lawsuit claiming Beyonce.com violates the Americans with Disabilities Act by denying visually impaired users equal access to products and services offered on the site. A New York woman named Mary Conner who has “no vision whatsoever,” according to the filing, claims the website isn’t fully accessible for her and for millions of others who have visual impairments…

Here’s Why Your Business Should Pay Attention to ADA Compliance

Most businesses won’t give ADA compliance a second look until it hits them in the face with a lawsuit. Truth is, ADA is something many will glance over, skip past and hope for the best with, but this could have huge consequences for your business. ADA should be part of the overall digital strategy for any business out there. ADA compliance could cost you a hefty fine of up to $75,000 alone for your first offence, something you’re definitely better off without. In this article we’ll give you everything you need to know about ADA, from what it is to what it means for you and your business and how to handle it…

CVAA accessibility rules come into effect for games as FCC waiver expires

A waiver offering video games temporary exemption from the Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 has expired, meaning that games released after the expiration date of December 31, 2018 have a set of new communication-focused rules to keep in mind to stay on the up-and-up with the Federal Communications Commission and dodge potential fines. The International Game Developers Association has already shared some information about how the CVAA will affect games released in 2019 and beyond, and the organization says it’s working on a more in-depth explainer as well…

Jack Fact — According to the Federal Communications Commission, approximately 36 million Americans suffer from hearing loss and 25 million suffer from vision loss.

International News

Ofcom seeking extension of accessibility rules to VOD providers

UK media regulator Ofcom has called for video-on-demand providers to be obliged to provide subtitling on 80% of their catalogues together with audio description on 10% and signing on 5% as part of an overhaul of accessibility regulations. The recommendations, if adopted by the UK government, would bring on-demand services in line with linear broadcast TV. Ofcom has called for VOD providers to be made to implement the rules within four years of new regulations coming in to force, with an interim two-year target of 40% subtitling, 5% audio description and 5% signing…

The importance of being accessible

Customers affected by disability are estimated to be worth £2b, but many operators are failing to meet their needs. Robin Sheppard explains. A little consideration on the road can go a long way. Across the industry, we’ve each had to put up with the occasional patch of peeling wallpaper, cracked bathroom tile or mercurial WiFi connection. Yet more than 12 million people affected by disability in the UK face poor or inadequate access to hotels, restaurants, bars and clubs. That’s a vast number of customers – estimated to be worth over £2b a year – who are not merely unsatisfied, but often unable to patronise the business at all…

I came across an article where Hrithik Roshan says, ‘One thing that has been playing on my mind is the need for our public places to be easily accessible to these people. It is a larger thought, but it is surprising that it hasn’t happened yet, even with over 20 million specially-abled people in India.’ I became emotional reading that but felt relieved at the same time. It is very significant for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community in India. You may not realise how vital these words are to the recognition and acknowledging our very existence in this world, as Deaf individuals. For too long, we have been ignored and shunned…

Citizenship and Advocacy project aims to empower young adults with disabilities

On a chilly night in early December, Lyla Fern-Weinbren walked the halls of Toronto’s City Hall for the very first time. A Cabbagetown resident with a learning disability, Ms. Fern-Weinbren had often passed by the concrete municipal hub, but had never stepped past its front threshold – much less spoken with her local representatives. “I feel a little intimidated. It feels like I don’t really have a voice,” she said. “It feels like they’re higher up, and I’m just below.”…

Will the Accessible Canada Act do anything to stop airlines from breaking wheelchairs?

I’m at YVR airport in Vancouver. Last time I was here, the airline broke my wheelchair. I did tell baggage handlers how to move it in manual, but somewhere along the line, it was damaged. I ended up without it for a month. Abruptly losing the freedom I get from my chair made everything a headache. Getting groceries, going to work, visiting friends. Everything. I wheel up to the counter preparing myself for the questions they need to ask for my wheelchair to be safe…

Local Kazakh foundation expands public access for people with limited mobility

Beginning in January, the Tandau Foundation’s Dostupnyi (Accessible) Pavlodar project aimed at making public spaces accessible for those with limited mobility will expand throughout the country as a part of Inclusive Kazakhstan project. The project is aimed at protecting and enforcing the rights of persons with disabilities to free movement and equal access to facilities and services according to international standards. It allows individuals to engage in social life and gain access to medicine and education, noted foundation head Irina Bobkova…

Guide dogs: Where do they really come from?

Guide dogs are like politicians or Santa Claus: it’s a bit hard to imagine them as babies. But while I’ve never had a playpen of MPs crawling around my living room (promise…), I can’t say the same about guide dog puppies. This is the story of where guide dogs for blind and partially-sighted people really come from. It includes: why they wear nail-varnish as soon as they’re born, why they’re never scared of fireworks, and why you really must play them Guns N’ Roses. Settle in, team. The pups and I have a tail we’d like to tell you…

Accessible First- Towards Building An Inclusive Digital World

Persons with disabilities need more than one type of assistive technology solution to enhance their independent living and socio-economic participation. Accessible applications and devices can level the playing field for persons with disabilities across life domains including education, employment, e-governance, and civic participation, financial inclusion, and disaster management. According to WHO, more than 15% of the world population lives with some form of disability, of whom nearly 190 million people experience considerable difficulties in functioning…

Dialogue focusses on rights of persons with disabilities

THE ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) convened the 2018 Regional Dialogue on the Mainstreaming of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the ASEAN Community (Accessibility through Universal Design) on December 3-5, in Bangkok, Thailand. According to a press release on the ASEAN Secretariat website, it was the fourth annual dialogue conducted with a view to fostering the rights of persons with disabilities…

Election Commissioner reviews poll preparedness in Goa

Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa on Saturday reviewed the preparations in Goa for the Lok Sabha elections next year and also launched an “Accessible Election Plan for Goa” to make it disabled-friendly. Speaking to press persons after meeting officials of the Chief Electoral Office (CEO) here, Mr. Lavasa said most of the preparatory work in the two Lok Sabha constituencies in Goa was complete. The officials, he said, were also trying to generate an awareness among voters related to poll procedure and familiarise them with any new changes in the existing voting mechanism….

Continuing to improve accessibility

After its first year, Woodstock’s five-year accessibility plan was already ahead of schedule. City council accepted the annual report from its accessibility advisory committee at its final council session of the year, with committee members outlining the work done in the previous 12 months and highlighting what’s planned for 2019. “It’s pretty much a report card that shows what we wanted to do and if we did it. I’m happy to say we did,” city of Woodstock deputy clerk Alysha Faria said. “We were on target for all of our goals, and we actually went above and beyond what was included.”…

The majority of popular tourist attractions in Yogyakarta do not provide facilities that are accessible to disabled people, a disability rights group has said. The Committee for the Protection and Fulfillment of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (KHD) assessed popular tourist attractions in Yogyakarta from Dec. 6-13, concluding that the areas lacked access to fulfill disability rights. The group looked at various places, including the Yogyakarta Palace, Sonobudoyo Museum, Vredeburg Fort, Gembira Loka Zoo, Paseban Bantul Field, Rainbow Park, the Jogja Kembali Monument, Kaliurang Park, Parangtritis Beach and Baron Beach…

Accessible Canada Act: Canadians Working for a More Inclusive Country

Janet*, a 40-year-old wheelchair user from Kingston, Ontario, laments that the accessible bus she must take must be booked weeks in advance. She once asked me, “how long does it take you to plan an outing? Because I can’t be spontaneous. I have to plan everything out, sometimes months before I get to go somewhere.” While Janet is thankful for the service, she wishes she could just decide on a location one day and take herself there. Unfortunately, as a quadriplegic with very limited use of her hands, she needs to rely on the aid of others to get on and off the bus, which is not always possible on regular public transit…

Tokyo Paralympics aim to leave legacy of accessibility

Japan hopes to use the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics as an opportunity to become a more inclusive and accessible society, and in 2018 games organizers made some strides towards making it a reality. When hosting a major sporting event, people usually talk about what kind of legacies, tangible or intangible, will remain, while the event’s success is often determined by factors such as spectator numbers or cost, as well as the volume and nature of media coverage which is generated…

Charity travel website issues plea for volunteers

A charity travel website that provides accessibility information for disabled holidaymakers and travellers has issued a plea for volunteers as it looks to expand its reach. See Around Britain is a charity run travel website and app that is GPS equipped to provide inclusive information, including details of accessibility for disabled travellers. It is looking to add to the thousands of venues and destinations across the UK and Europe it already covers and to eventually have a global reach…

Ofcom target video-on-demand accessibility

Regulator has recommended to the Government that they set new requirements for video-on-demand services to make their content accessible. Services including Netflix and Amazon Prime may be compelled to ensure their programming meets accessibility targets. Content would be made more suitable for those with hearing or sight impairments by using subtitles, signing or audio description. These regulations would bring on demand services into line with traditional broadcasters and pay TV operators such as Sky…

VPATs®

Microassist Digital Accessibility Services

Our digital and web accessibility services cover

• Accessibility Audit Services — Our comprehensive audit will map all findings to internationally recognized WCAG 2.0 AA standards and equip you and your technical and content teams to know what areas need to be brought into compliance. •Accessible Elearning Development — Does your online training reach all learners, whether they’re your employees, resellers, students? Let us help you design effective, engaging training that works for everyone. •Accessible Website and Application Development — An inaccessible website or application is increasingly seen as violating the ADA. Let’s talk about creating an online presence that reaches all your customers and reduces your litigation risk. • Audit and Testing Services — A thorough accessibility audit against recognized accessibility standards will show you where you may be under-serving your customers and putting your organization at risk. • Accessible Document Services — Digital assets such as Microsoft Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, PDFs, and audio and video files need to be accessible to individuals with disabilities, too. We can help you establish creation processes or remediate historical documents so that they meet accessibility standards and are usable by people with disabilities. •Remediation Services — Whether for a time-sensitive response to a legal action, or for proactive remediation, we can fix what doesn’t meet accessibility standards. • Accessibility Training — Contact us to get your teams introduced and informed about accessibility best practices.

Please contact us for any questions you have about our accessibility services and how we might support your organization.

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As one of Central Texas’s most experienced software education centers, a primary training vendor for the State of Texas, and a Microsoft Certified Solution Partner, Microassist has successfully worked with clients in fields ranging from advertising, real estate, law and politics to state and government agencies.